Since 1973, I&M’s Regional Distribution Center (RDC) in Fort Wayne has worked without a DART event.
In 1973, the top selling car in the United States was the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and you’d hear “Crocodile Rock” by Elton John – one of the year’s top songs– blaring through the speakers. Since 1973, I&M’s Regional Distribution Center (RDC) in Fort Wayne has worked without a Days Away Restricted or Transferred (DART) event.
“Our safety culture is deeply rooted in both personal accountability and team-wide commitment. At the Distribution Center we don’t believe safety is achieved once, we believe it is earned daily. Ten people along with twelve weekly deliveries, adds up to 52 years of safety.”
Travis Kratt, Regional Distribution Center Supervisor at Baer Field Service Center
The team surpassed the ZERO Harm milestone in September. Employees are responsible for receiving, stocking, storing and driving materials to I&M’s four districts and to AEP Ohio districts. Materials such as transformers, distribution line hardware and underground material are kept at the RDC.
Daily hazards include knife usage, driving hazards, slips trips and falls, overhead hazards, lifting heavy equipment, eye safety and moving heavy equipment. The RDC has two full time semi-truck drivers who deliver material five days a week. The team is projected to drive nearly 90,000 miles and deliver $50 million in materials.
“We don’t rush tasks just to say they’re finished. We pause when conditions change and we reassess together,” Kratt said. “We speak up early rather than waiting unit it’s too late. Every safety huddle, every warehouse walkthrough, every item moved and every delivery our team makes is done with purpose and with safety.”
While the RDC team has achieved this significant milestone, the team continues to take it day-by-day.
“We don’t chase perfection, we chase progress,” Kratt said. “If today is 1% safer than the day before, then we’ve done our job.”